Did Any of the Characters in ‘Do the Right Thing’ Actually Do the Right Thing?

Today marks the 25th anniversary of Do the Right Thing, Spike Lee’s third feature film and arguably his best. Following the denizens of a block in Bed-Stuy on the hottest day of the summer, Do the Right Thing provides a comic and serious look at race relations in a diverse Brooklyn neighborhood, which come to a dramatic and tragic head by the end of the film. To celebrate the film’s anniversary, we rewatched the film and had a lengthy discussion about the film’s various characters to see if any of them did, in fact, do the right thing.

Mookie (Spike Lee)

Tyler: Mookie is told, specifically, by Mayor to do the right thing. As the protagonist and the one actually given instructions on what to do, it’s obvious to start with him. So, does he do the right thing?

Meghan: I don’t think so. I mean, he’s the first one to vandalize the pizza place by throwing the trash can through the window (which sort of sets off the fire). Also, he took really long breaks at work.

Tyler: On the one hand, it was hot! He needed to shower! On the other hand, one of those breaks was used to rub ice on Rosie Perez’s breasts, so. I think I’d agree: he was a little listless, which I can completely understand, but he wasn’t very good at communicating with anyone. That’s definitely Step One of Doing the Right Thing.

Meghan: Yeah, I completely understand the reasons behind Mookie’s actions. However, I find taking long breaks at work to rub ice on someone’s breasts to be irresponsible and something that wouldn’t fly in most work environments.

Sal (Danny Aiello)

Tyler: I generally liked Sal a lot—up until the confrontation between him and Radio Raheem turned very ugly. I think, for the most part, Sal was doing the right things until he had to go and call someone the n-word. Definitely NOT the right thing to do.

Meghan: I completely agree. It was very dismaying to see him break in that final confrontation because he had been such a voice of reason throughout the rest of the film. Alas, in the end, he did not do the right thing.

Da Mayor (Ossie Davis)

Tyler: As much as I LOVE day-drinking, I can recognize that sometimes it is not really the right thing to do. Yet I’ll give Mayor a pass on that one because, really, is it hurting anybody? It’s Mayor who coins the film’s title, so I’m leaning toward, “Yes, he did the right thing.” He did break up a lot of fights in a single day, after all.

Meghan: I agree that while his day-drinking is suspect, the Mayor does do the right thing in the film. He repeatedly seeks to restore peace and tranquility between people. Rather than spend the whole day fighting with Mother Sister, he goes out of his way to win her with kindness and love. Later, he saves that boy’s life and gets mad at his mom for walloping him. In general, he could probably lay off the sauce, but he’s only trying to help everyone.

Tyler: I felt the most compassion for the Mayor, mostly because I hate it when people yell at old people.

Pino (John Turturro)

Tyler: Pino is a human trash can and did not do the right thing.

Meghan: He also wears a wife-beater and gold chain, which is gross. That’s all I want to say. He did not do the right thing and he needs to invest in better clothing.

Tyler: When Sal opens up his new place, I hope he invests in some diversity training. Or maybe cools it with the nepotism.

Meghan: It’s not like Pino did that much to help out. He mainly pushed the worst chores onto Vito or Mookie. You know why? Because Pino is a scum bucket incapable of doing the right thing.

Vito (Richard Nelson)

Tyler: Generally speaking, Vito did the right thing simply by not being Pino. But maybe he could have come to the defense of everyone that Pino treated like shit, right?

Meghan: Yeah, I would say that Vito did the right thing, except for the fact that he was a total coward. He could have stood up for Mookie a bit more. That said, I would say that Vito did the right thing. The only time he did get involved in the fight at the end was to come to the defense of his family, and that’s just being loyal.

Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn)

Tyler: He provided the neighborhood with some much-needed jams. But he also had a bad attitude and yelled at those Koreans for no reason. Definitely not the right thing.

Meghan: True. Not to mention the fact that he and Buggin’ Out were the ones who instigated the fight at the end. I mean, I suppose racial tensions in America and the ungodly heat also instigated the fight at the end, but Radio Raheem was a big part of it. Also, I’m still really mad he yelled at those Koreans in front of their kid. That’s untoward.

Tyler: My version of doing the right thing primarily involves being polite and respectful of other people and their space—or at least being mindful of others. I don’t think Radio Raheem was doing either of those things. I mean, dig the jams and all, but I get they aren’t for everyone. Couldn’t he at least turned the boombox down in Sal’s?

Meghan: I agree, and yet, I would like to offer that I don’t think he should have been strangled to death with a police baton. Those cops also did not do the right thing.

Buggin’ Out (Giancarlo Esposito)

Tyler: Hey, Buggin’ Out, maybe chill out a bit?

Meghan: If your name is “Buggin’ Out,” maybe it’s a sign that you should try yoga or meditation.

Tyler: Yeah. Like, times are hard and all, but it’s really unnecessary to scream at literally everyone you encounter? Also, let people put whoever they want on their pizzeria wall! Geez.

Meghan: I completely empathize with the reasons behind why Buggin’ Out wanted to see diversity on the pizza place’s wall. It’s so important to have visual examples of oneself in places of honor. However, though his intentions were noble, Buggin’ Out took things a little too far and did not do the right thing.

Mother Sister (Ruby Dee)

Meghan: Well, Mother Sister was very nice and kept out of trouble until the moment that the rioters started to burn down Sal’s Pizzeria. Then she was screaming for the restaurant to be burned to the ground, which seemed a bit overboard for me. But then, I realized at the end of the movie that both she and da Mayor probably have seen a lifetime of racism in that neighborhood. So, I don’t know if she did the right thing or not. She’s entitled to her opinions.

Tyler: She hates calzones so much. I get it.

Jade (Joie Lee)

Tyler: Jade is the best. She did the right thing! Always!

Meghan: Not only was Jade a class act, but she also knew how to wear a hat. Everything Jade does is the right thing to do.

Tyler: Including that hat. That hat was the shit.

Officer Ponte (Miguel Sandoval) / Officer Long (Rick Aiello)

Meghan: Ugh. Fuck the police.

Tyler: Fight the power, et shitera.

Mister Señor Love Daddy (Samuel L. Jackson)

Tyler: Like Jade, Mister seemed to be the sole voice of reason in the neighborhood. Also, he was providing an important service, but unlike Radio Raheem, did not scream at anyone for no reason.

Meghan: Radio Raheem used music to display his contempt for those around him. Mister Senor Love Daddy used song to spread love (and sex).

Tyler: And good vibes! I liked how generally chill Mister was while still saying, “Yo, everything is pretty fucked up sometimes.” That’s what I aspire to be.

Meghan: Yes, Tyler. We all want to be Samuel L. Jackson in a Bed-Stuy radio booth.

Tina (Rosie Perez)

Tyler: I am also envious of Tina’s dance moves. Dancing: always the right thing.

Meghan: Yeah, but if she didn’t dance in the opening credits, Tina would have done a big fat nothing. So, she’s lucky she can dance. Otherwise, she’s just hanging out in her apartment with her kid in front of the fan. Which I guess is the right thing to do. I mean, it’s not a bad thing to do.

Tyler: Well, that and boning. I am pro-boning.

Meghan: I take it back. Tina did the right thing.

Smiley (Roger Guenveur Smith)

Tyler: This one is complicated.

Meghan: You don’t say.

Tyler: I liked Smiley. Who wouldn’t like Smiley? Smiley’s problem is that he liked too much. And followed Buggin’ Out and Radio Raheem’s lead. But his public service of handing out pictures of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X was certainly a right thing.

Meghan: Through Smiley we see how someone can start off having the best of intentions in terms of wanting to spread peace and love, and how that can sour with enough mistreatment. No character is more shat upon than Smiley and in the end, he causes the most mayhem and destruction. So, I think he started off doing the right thing and then he wound up doing the wrong thing.

Tyler: I loved these guys because they weren’t all the same. As a Greek chorus, they were pretty varied. One of them hated the Korean guys. One of them didn’t like the pizza. And of them was like, “Chill out, dudes. We’re too old for this shit.”

Meghan: I liked that last one. Also, K-pop and pizza are two of my favorite things on Earth. Disrespecting them is the wrong thing to do.

Tyler: Is this the first review of Do the Right Thing that has made me think of Girls Generation? Yes. Yes it is. You, Meghan, have done the right thing. (Just kidding. I hope Spike Lee never reads this.)

Meghan: We did a very wrong thing.Do the Right Thing is available for rental on Amazon Instant Video.